I quite agree with you that the temporary chairman of the Convention
should voice the sentiments of the democracy of the nation which I am
convinced is distinctly progressive. However, before receiving your
telegram I had given the following statement for publication in the
Baltimore _Evening Sun_: My friends in Baltimore are on the people's
side in everything that affects the organization of the Convention.
They are certain not to forget their standards as they have already
shown. It is not necessary that I should remind them of these
standards from New Jersey and I have neither the right nor the desire
to direct the organization of a convention of which I am not even a
member.

(signed) MCCOMBS

I was greatly disappointed, of course, at the character of reply suggested
by McCombs and argued with the Governor at length on what I considered
would be the disastrous effects of making a reply such as the one
contained in the above telegram. Clearly, Mr. McCombs' suggested reply was
a rebuke to Mr. Bryan and a bid for the Eastern vote in the convention. Of
course, Governor Wilson was most reluctant to disregard the advice of
McCombs. He felt that he (McCombs) was "on the job" at Baltimore and more
intimately in touch with the situation than he himself could be at Sea
Girt. After a long discussion of the matter, the proposed reply prepared
by McCombs was ignored and the following telegram was prepared and sent by
Woodrow Wilson:

W. J. BRYAN, Chicago:

You are quite right. Before hearing of your message I clearly stated my